t  ire,  „C 


i~     '  »H    ^   '«    »  ■ 

f  i  I  m 


THE 


OR, 

CHILDREN'S  MEETING. 

HISTORY,  ADVANTAGES,  AND  ABUSES,  WITH 
APPKOVED  MODIS  OF  CONDUCTINO  IT. 


 ^  «  «  

BY  H.  C.  TRUMBULL, 

ftTATE  SABUATH  SCHOOL  MISSIONARY  FOR  CONNECTICUT, 


BOSTON: 

H  E  N  K  y    HOY  T, 
No.  9  Cornhill. 


Entered  aeeording  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1861,  by 
HENRY  IIOYT, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Massachusetts. 


Printed  by 
Bazin  &  Chandleb, 
37  CornhiU. 


NOTE. 


The  substance  of  this  little  work  appear- 
ed originally  in  the  columns  of  the  Sunday 
School  Times^  in  response  to  frequent  in- 
quiries in  that  paper  as  to  the  nature  of  the 
Sabbath  School  Concert,  and  the  best  modes 
of  conductinf>:  it. 

It  was  so  well  received  on  its  first  publi- 
cation, that  it  is  now  put  into  more  perma- 
nent and  available  form,  in  the  hope  that  it 
will  prove  of  interest  or  service  in  Schools 
where  the  Monthly  Children's  Meeting  has 
been  but  little  known,  or  so  conducted  as  to 
secure  but  a  moiety  of  its  advantages. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2014 


https://archive.org/details/sabbathschoolconOOtrum 


CONTENTS. 


Its  Origin   7 

Growth  in  Favor   9 

Change  of  Day   U 

Obstacles  to  its  continued  Interest   12 

Early  Expedients  to  render  it  attractive   13 

A  PART  assigned  TO  THE  CHILDREN   15 

The  Sabbath  School  Concert  of  the  present  day..  16 

inapproprla.teness  of  title   18 

Arguments  for  the  Children's  Meeting   19 

Objectionable  Exercises  ♦   28 

When  to  hold  it   36 

Who  should  be  IN  IT   38^ 

Approved  Modes  of  Conducting  it   39 

Its  Grand  Design   56 


THE 


SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT. 


ITS  ORIGIN. 

Even  before  the  organization  in  America 
of  any  Foreign  Missionary  Society  now  in 
existence,  the  first  Monday  evening  of  each 
month  was  observed,  more  or  less  generally, 
in  this  and  other  lands,  as  a  season  of  con- 
certed or  united  prayer,  for  God's  blessing 
on  efforts  to  diffuse  the  light  of  his  truth 
into  regions  of  heathen  darkness. 

This  ''Monthly  Concert  of  Prayer  for 
Missions,"  has  been  continued  to  the  pres- 


8       THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCEET. 


ent  tiaae.  It  is  deemed  a  precious  service 
in  the  Christian  church,  and  its  value  to 
the  mission  cause  has  been  very  great. 

No  sooner  did  the  Sabbath-school  be- 
come a  permanent  agency  in  this  country 
for  bringing  the  Gospel  to  the  young,  than 
a  desire  was  manifested  by  its  friends  to 
secure  in  some  way  a  union  of  prayer  in 
behalf  of  the  new  and  attractive  enterprise. 
In  the  course  of  discussion  on  this  subject, 
it  was  suggested  that  those  interested  in 
Sabbath-schools  throughout  the  United 
States,  should  have  such  a  meeting  on  the 
second  Monday  of  each  month,  as  the  sup- 
porters of  foreign  missionary  work  had  with 
reference  to  their  cause  on  the  first.  This 
suggestion,  as  we  are  informed  by  that 
well  known  and  valuable  little  work,  "  The 
Teacher  Taught,"  was  rendered  practically 
efficacious  through  its  formal  recommenda- 


THE  SABSATII  SCHOOL  CONCERT.  9 


tiou  by  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the 
American  Sunday  School  Union,  in  Sep- 
tember, 1824. 

GROWTH    IN  FAVOR. 

In  this  way  came  the  Monthly  Sabbath 
School  Concert.  It  gained  rapidly  in  the 
estimation  of  the  Christian  public,  and  was 
soon  widely  observed. 

The  second  annual  report  of  the  "  West- 
ern Sunday  School  Union,"  for  1827, 
speaks  of  the  value  of  this  season  of  prayer 
in  various  counties  of  New  York  State, 
remarking,  that  "  where  it  is  observed,  it 
exerts  a  happy  influence  both  upon  teach- 
ers and  scholars." 

Mention  is  made  in  the  fifth  annual  re- 
port of  the  "New  Hampshire  Sabbath 
School  Union,"  for  1829,  of  the  fact  that, 
"  it  was  in  the  Sabbath  School  Montlily 


10     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT. 


Concert  that  the  indications  of  the  late 
revival  in  Portsmouth  appeared." 

A  communication  in  the  New  Jersey 
Sahhath  School  Journal^  for  December, 
1829,  from  a  clergyman  of  Pennsylvania, 
gives  his  method  of  making  the  Sabbath 
School  Concert  an  interesting  service. 

In  the  eighth  annual  report  of  the  "  Con- 
necticut Sabbath  School  Union,"  for  1831-2, 
it  is  stated  that  in  fifty-six  of  one  hundred 
and  seventy-two  schools  noted, "  the  Sabbath 
School  Monthly  Concert  is  observed  on  the 
second  Monday  of  every  month." 

The  Sahhath  School  Record^  an  organ  of 
the  Connecticut  Union,  contains  in  its  issue 
for  September,  1832,  a  letter  to  be  read  at 
the  Concert  for  that  month,  in  which  it  is 
suggested  that  the  occasion  is  similarly  ob- 
served in  England,  Scotland  and  Irelancl, 
France  and  Germany,  along  the  Mcditcr- 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CO^^CERT.  11 


ranean,  and  at  missionary  stations  of  India, 
Ceylon  and  the  Sandwich  Islands,  as  well 
as  throughout  America. 

Thus  much  may  be  said  of  the  early  his- 
tory of  the  Sabbath  School  Monthly  Con- 
cert. 

CHANGE   OF  DAY. 

After  a  while,  from  the  difficulty  of  gath- 
ering an  audience  during  the  week,  and 
from  the  too  common  desire  of  doing  up  in 
one  day  the  religion  for  seven,  the  Concert 
of  Prayer  for  Missions  was  quite  generally 
changed,  from  the  first  Monday  of  the 
month  to  the  first  Sabbath,  or  to  the  Sab- 
bath immediately  preceding  the  first  Mon- 
day. For  the  same  reasons,  the  Sabbath 
School  Concert  was  similarly  changed,  and 
now  both  meetings  are  held,  usually,  on 
the  Sabbath,  although  in  some  places  Mon- 


12     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  COI\CERT. 


day  still  is,  as  in  others  it  was  until  very 
recently,  adhered  to. 

OBSTACLES  TO  ITS  CONTINUED  INTEEEST. 

While  the  Sabbath  School  Concert  of 
Prayer  was  attractive  as  a  novelty^  it  was 
almost  uniformly  well  attended,  but  grad- 
ually the  interest  in  it,  in  most  places, 
abated.  It  was,  at  the  best,  but  a  prayer 
meeting,  and  the  atmosphere  of  a  prayer 
meeting  is  not  always  as  warm,  nor  are  its 
numbers  as  large,  as  desirable.  Moreover, 
as  the  Sabbath  School  is  too  often  deemed 
by  the  church  an  outside  agency,  to  be 
cared  for  alone  by  the  few  who  may  have  a 
taste  for  its  exercises,  it  is  by  no  means 
strange  that  a  prayer  meeting  in  its  behalf 
was  attended  by  even  a  smaller  portion  of 
the  congregation  than  were  at  other  special 
services  of  the  week.    The  children,  it  is 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT.  13 


true,  were  invited  to  come  to  these  meet- 
ings with  their  parents  and  friends,  but  un- 
less they  were  particularly  addressed,  the 
services  became  tedious  to  them,  while  it 
was  difficult  to  always  secure  speakers  who 
could  talk  to  their  interest  and  edification. 
This  was  especially  the  case  in  country 
communities,  where  there  is  ordinarily  a 
shrinking  from  public  prominence  on  the 
part  of  those  who  are  best  qualified  for 
successful  effort  in  behalf  of  the  little  ones. 

EARLY   EXPEDIENTS   TO   RENDER  IT  AT- 
TRACTIVE. 

In  the  New  Jersey  Sahhath  School  Jour- 
nal^ for  December,  1829,  a  pastor  tells  of 
imparting  new  life  to  his  sadly  drooping 
concert,  by  adopting  the  plan  of  giving  in- 
formation and  relating  anecdoies  appropri- 
ate to  the  occasion,  and  of  requiring  the 


14     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT. 


children  at  each  meeting  to  repeat  what 
was  said  to  them  at  the  one  previous. 

A  correspondent  of  the  Connecticut  Sah-' 
hath  School  Record^  for  September,  1832, 
recommends  that  at  this  meeting  "the 
children  be  first  addressed  while  their  at- 
tention is  awake  ;  then,  if  some  fall  asleep 
while  teachers  and  parents  are  the  subject 
of  remark,  it  is  not  so  important." 

The  Massachusetts  Sahhath  School  Trea^ 
sury^  of  about  the  same  date,  notices  the  fol- 
lowing experiment  of  a  Superintendent  to 
render  newly  attractive  his  Sabbath  School 
Concert,  which  had  so  diminished  in  num- 
bers that  even  many  of  the  teachers  aban- 
doned it  as  unworthy  of  their  attention. 
During  the  month,  he  collected  all  the  facts 
he  could  obtain  from  religious  newspapers 
and  Sabbath  School  periodicals,  which  tend- 
ed to  show  the  extent  and  value  of  Sabbath 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT.  15 


School  influence.  Arranging  these  in  prop- 
er order,  he  read  them  at  the  Concert,  with 
appropriate  remarks  and  inferences  inter- 
spersed. The  result  was  so  satisfactory  in 
securing  an  increase  of  attendance,  as  to 
suggest  the  desirableness  of  every  school 
taking  at  least  one  copy  of  each  Sabbath 
School  periodical  in  the  country  for  use  at 
the  Concert,  and  for  preservation  in  the 
library. 

Thus,  and  in  other  ways,  were  endeavors 
made  to  ascertain  how  this  important  meet- 
ing could  be  conducted  with  greatest  prob- 
ability of  permanent  and  uniform  interest. 

A  PART  ASSIGNED  TO  THE  CHILDREN. 

Of  the  various  modes  resorted  to  for 
making  the  Sabbath  School  Concert  a  pop- 
ular as  well  as  a  profitable  service,  those 
which  secured  an  active  part  to  the  chil- 


13     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  COXCERT. 


dren,  in  the  answering  of  questions  from 
the  desk,  or  in  the  repeating  of  selections 
from  Scripture,  seemed  to  give  greatest 
and  most  general  satisfaction.  Indeed,  so 
marked  was  the  success  which  attended  this 
new  feature  of  the  exercises,  that  it  steadily- 
gained  in  public  favor,  until  it  was  exten- 
sively adopted. 

THE  SABBATH   SCHOOL  CONCERT  OF  THE 
PRESENT  DAY. 

What,  therefore,  is  now  ordinarily  under- 
stood by  a  Sabbath  School  Concert  is  not  a 
monthly  union  of  prayer  in  behalf  of  the 
Sabbath  School,  nor  yet  alone  a  meeting 
where  addresses  to,  with  prayer  for,  and 
singing  by  the  little  ones,  complete  the  ser- 
vice ;  but  it  is  a  gathering  of  the  children 
and  the  children's  friends,  at  which  the 
Scriptural  recitations  or  responses  of  the 
former,  constitute  the  chief  attraction. 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCEilT.  17 


It  is  true,  that  in  many  churches  no 
change  has  been  made  in  the  style  or  order 
of  exercises  at  the  concert  since  it  was  orig- 
inaliy  instituted.  It  is  also  true,  that  uni- 
formity of  general  character  or  design  has 
not  yet  been  attained  in  this  meeting 
throughout  our  land  ;  but  that,  on  the  con- 
trary, it  is  a  very  different  service  at  one 
place  from  what  it  is  at  another.  In  one 
case,  prayer  is  its  prominent  feature ;  in 
another,  praise.  Now,  the  children  are 
talked  about ;  again,  they  are  talked  to. 
Here,  the  teachers  only  are  expected ; 
vrhile  there,  the  children,  with  the  congre- 
gation at  large,  make  up  the  audience. 
Still,  it  is  nevertheless  true  that  the  Sab- 
bath School  Concert,  which  u  named  so  fre- 
quently at  conventions,  in  Sabbath  School 
periodicals,  and  in  ecclesiastical  reports,  as 
decidedly  the  largest  and  most  satisfactory 


13     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT. 


meeting  of  the  month,  is  usually  a  chil- 
dren's service,  rather  than  a  prayer-meet- 
ing. 

INAPPROPRIATENESS  OF  TITLE. 

It  may,  perhaps,  be  claimed,  and  not 
without  reason,  that  a  name  which  befitted 
the  originally  contemplated  union  of 
churches  in  prayer  for  the  Sabbath  School, 
is  not  altogether  appropriate  to  a  gathering 
of  the  children  for  religious  instruction  or 
worship.  But,  so  gradually  was  any 
change  brouscht  about  in  the  character  of 
the  meeting,  that  it  did  not  necessarily  sug- 
gest the  desirableness  of  a  new  appellation^ 
and  at  the  present  time  it  would  be  exceed- 
ingly difficult  to  alter  or  amend  the  prima- 
ry and  now  established  designation. 

What  is  called  in  some  places  the  Sab- 
bath School  Concert,  is  distinctly  known 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT.  19 

in  others  as  the  '"Children's  Meeting.' 
Again,  there  are  churches  which  set  apart 
in  every  month  one  evening  for  prayer  in 
behalf  of  the  Sabbath  School,  under  the 
name,  and  in  accordance  with  the  original 
design  of  the  Sabbath  School  Concert ;  and 
give  yet  another  to  a  children's  meeting  of 
the  character  indicated  above.  This  cer- 
tainly seems  a  desirable  plan,  where  the 
church  can  be  induced  to  do  so  much  for 
the  children's  cause,  and  it  is  well  worthy 
of  extensive  and  general  adoption. 

ARGUMENTS    FOR     THE  CHILDREN'S 
MEETING. 

The  advantage  of  a  service  in  which  the 
children  have  a  part,  are  many  and  obvious. 

Such  a  meeting  can  he  conducted  in  any 
community. 

The  pastor  may  be  but  a  dry  sermonizer. 


20     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT. 


The  superintendent  may  be  unable  to  in- 
terest an  audience  of  young  or  old.  Other 
speakers  to  children  may  be  lacking  in  both 
church  and  congregation.  But  the  children 
are  always  to  be  found,  and  their  talent  is 
ever  available.  Each  of  them  can  learn 
and  repeat  a  passage  of  Scripture,  which  is 
in  itself  a  truthful,  appropriate  and  eloquent 
address.  Their  participation  may  render 
the  exercises  always  fresh,  ever  varying, 
uniformly  attractive  and  edifying. 

A  children's  service  is  invariably  pop^ 
ular. 

Children  are  glad  to  be  recognized  by 
the  church,  and  to  enjoy  the  privileges  of  a 
service  peculiarly  their  own.  They  will 
love  to  attend  and  to  fill  their  part  in  it. 
Parents,  also,  will  be  usually  found  where 
there  offspring  have  so  prominent  a  place. 
Even  those  who  attend  no  other  religious 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  COXCEKT.  21 


gathering  will  often  come  to  see  their  loved 
little  ones  happy  in  their  own  meeting, 
and  Villi  exlilhit  a  feelinn*  of  natural  and 
commendable  pride  in  observing  the  satis- 
factory performance  by  those  little  ones  of 
the  duty  assigned  them.  Indeed,  children's 
exercises  are  quite  sure  to  be  pleasing  to 
the  whole  community.  A  pastor  recently 
remarked  that  his  people  ha:l  a  great  fond- 
ness for  young  preachers,  and  he  sought  to 
gratify  their  demand,  by  putting  forward, 
at  the  Sabbath  School  Concert,  the  children 
and  youth  to  preach  the  gospel  in  the  very 
words  of  him  who  "  spake  as  never  man 
spake."  Other  parishes  can  be  similarly 
gratified  to  advantage. 

Participation  in  this  exercise  prepares 
the  young  for  their  part  in  puhlic  worship^ 

The  reluctance  of  members  to  speak  or 
pray  in  a  religious  meeting,  is  frequently 


22     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCEKT. 


a  great  hindrance  to  tlie  work  of  the 
church,  especially  in  a  rural  comunity.  A 
Sabbath  school  in  a  quiet  New  England 
town  could  now  be  named,  which  has  been 
conducted  for  nearly  a  year  without  an 
opening  prayer,  because  of  the  relutance 
of  the  superintendent  —  who  rejoices  in  a 
Christian  hope  —  to  raise  his  voice  to  God, 
in  the  presence  of  others.  Those  who  are 
trained  in  the  children's  meeting  will  not, 
in  after  life,  be  likely  to  thus  shirk  a  bur- 
den of  duty  incumbent  upon  them  in  the 
Sabbath  school  or  sanctuary. 

A  service  of  this  kind  provokes  Bihle 
study. 

Doctrines  are  stated  to  be  proved  by  the 
Bible.  Questions  are  asked  to  be  answered 
from  the  Bible.  Words  or  incidents  are 
named  to  be  found  in  the  Bible.  Thus, 
and  in  other  ways,  are  the  children,  and 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  COXCERT.  23 


tliose  who  are  with  them,  urged  and  in- 
duced to  "  search  the  Scriptures."  There- 
by, their  minds  are  profitably  stored  with 
treasures  of  heavenly  wisdom,  love  for 
God's  word  is  inspired,  a  taste  for  its  study 
is  acquired,  and  with  the  immediate  good 
attained,  there  comes  the  hope  and  proba- 
bility of  future  and  permanent  benefit  to 
their  souls. 

27ie  exercises  of  such  a  meeting  fastens 
truth  in  the  minds  of  those  who  have  a  part 
in  it. 

In  a  recent  elaborate  editorial  of  the 
Sunday  School  Times^  on  "  Passive  Hear- 
ing," it  was  asserted  that,  "  we  never  thor- 
oughly possess  a  thought  ourselves  until 
we  have  expressed  it  in  word  to  somebody 
else.  The  teacher  may  communicate  a 
thought  or  fact  clearly  to  the  apprehension 
of  the  pupil.    But  depend  upon  it,  it  has 


24     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CO^X^ERT. 


not  become  a  part  of  that  pupil's  mental 
wealth  until  he  himself  has  reproduced  it, 
and  given  it  form  and  expression  in  words. 
This  giving  e:??pression  to  our  knowledge 
defines  it  to  our  own  minds,  and  also  makes 
it  truly  our  own."  In  this  view  of  the  case, 
which  is  undoubtedly  the  correct  one,  a 
service  which  induces  the  children  and 
their  friends  to  give  distinct  expression  to 
Bible  truth  in  the  presence  of,  and  for  the 
benefit  of  others,  is  of  great  value  ifi  fixing 
that  truth  in  the  minds  of  those  who  utter  it. 

The  children's  meeting  is,  in  one  sense, 
simply  a  large  or  model  class  ;  the  whole 
audience  being  scholars,  the  superintendent 
acting  as  teacher.  It  superadds  impressive 
and  effective  lessons  to  the  ordinary  Sab- 
bath School  exercise,  and  not  unfrequently 
fills  a  wide  gap  left  by  an  incom})etent  or 
unfaithful  teacher. 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT,  25 


The  cJiildren^s  meeting  proves  often  a 
means  of  grace  to  those  who  attend  as  par^ 
ticipants  or  spectators. 

The  words  of  Sacred  Writ  has  a  pecu- 
liarly sweet  and  solemn  impressivenesa 
when  breathed  in  the  gentle  tones  of  tender, 
loving  childhood.  Hearts  which  seemed 
long  calloused  to  all  appeals  from  above  or 
around,  have  been  instrumentally  touched 
and  softened  by  tlie  lisping  words  of  a  little 
one,  repeating  the  precious  teachings  of  the 
blessed  Jesus.  Those  whose  angels  do 
always  behold  the  face  of  the  Father  have 
a  mission,  even  in  the  work  of  winning 
souls,  not  to  be  despised. 

Many  conversions  may  be  distinctly 
traced  to  the  agency  of  the  Sabbath  School 
Concert,  conducted  as  a  children's  meeting. 
Pastors  and  superintendents,  who  have  had 
most  experience  and  observation  of  such  a 


26     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCEET. 


service,  uniformly  and  unhesitatingly  give 
to  it  their  unqualified  approval,  and  there 
is  every  reason  to  hope  that  a  meeting  of 
this  kind  will,  if  properly  conducted,  be,  in 
the  future,  greatly  prospered  of  God  to  the 
welfare  of  souls. 

It  may  be  said  in  addition  that  the  recit- 
ing of  Scripture  by  children  is  a  time-hon- 
ored practice  ;  not  a  modern  innovation. 
It  is  related  by  old  Jewish  writers,  of  Mor- 
decai,  that  going  home  at  night,  "  in  great 
heaviness,  upon  the  notice  ofHaman's  plot, 
he  met  three  Jewish  children  coming  from 
school,  of  whom  he  inquired  w^hat  they  had 
learned  that  day  ;  one  of  them  told  him  his 
lesson  was  (Pro v.  iii.  25,  26.)  '  Be  not 
afraid  of  sudden  fear,'  c6c.  ;  the  second 
told  him  his  was  (Isa.  viii.  10.)  '  Take 
counsel  together,  and  it  shall  come  to 
nought ; '  the  thii'd  told  him  his  was  (Isa. 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCEP.T.  27 


xlvi.  4.)  '  I  have  made,  and  I  sliali  bear, 
even  I  will  carry,  and  v/ill  deliver  you.' 

*  O  the  goodness  of  God,'  says  l^Iordecai, 

*  who  out  of  the  mouth  of  babes  and  suck- 
lino-s  ordains  stren2:th  ! '  "  This  ancient 
custom  commends  itself  to  all  who  desire 
the  spiritual  good  of  the  little  ones.  Says 
Dr.  Wise,  the  able  editor  of  the  M.  E. 
Sunday  School  Teachers'^  Journal^  "  Texts 
of  Scripture  lodged  in  the  mind,  are  like 
those  seeds  of  the  pine  tree  which  the  wind 
wafts  in  a  forest  of  oak,  and  which  spring 
up  into  a  beautiful  pinery  whenever  the 
hand  of  industry  removes  the  primal 
growth  of  oak."  The  monthly  Sabbath 
School  Concert,  conducted  as  a  children's 
meeting,  furnishes  the  opportunity  of  sew- 
ing the  seeds  which  are  likely  to  bring  so 
fruithful  a  harvest, 

Vv^iatever  exercises,  therefore,  may  be 


28     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT. 


held  for  the  benefit  of  the  children,  however 
much  there  may  be  of  prayer  with  or  for 
them,  let  there  be  at  least  one  public  meet- 
ing in  the  month,  Trhere  they  have  a  part 
as  well  as  a  place. 

Let  the  service,  v^hich  is  everywhere 
available,  and  always  popular ;  which  pro- 
motes the  study  of  the  Bible,  and  fastens 
its  truths  in  the  mind  ;  which,  now,  as  for- 
merly, seems  specially  approved  of  God, 
and  which  is,  on  all  accounts,  a  delightful 
and  precious  service,  be  neither  forgotten 
nor  neglected.  Let  it  be  regularly  held, 
and  carefully  looked  to. 

OBJECTIONABLE  EXERCISES. 

That  the  Sabbath  School  Concert  may 
be,  and  indeed  too  often  is,  conducted  in  an 
exceptionable  manner,  cannot  be  denied. 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT.  29 


Uie  dramatic  element  can  he  introduced 
only  to  the  great  ivjury  cf  this  service. 

In  some  places,  a  platform  is  erected  in 
cliurcli  or  chapel,  and  children,  showily 
dressed  for  the  occasion,  are  brought  on  to 
it  to  exhibit  themselves  in  dialogues  or 
other  exercises  of  school  declamation.  Of 
course,  a  meeting  thus  conducted  draws  a 
crowd,  as  a  theatrical  performance  is  always 
likely  to.  But  there  can  be  little  doubt 
that  the  effect  of  such  a  service,  for  the 
Sabbath,  is  on  the  whole  decidedly  inju- 
rious to  both  juvenile  actors  and  admiring 
spectators. 

J^ven  where  neither  platform  nor  fanciful 
dresses  are  tolerated^  particular  children 
ought  not  to  have  marked  prominence^  nor 
shoidd,  miscellaneous  recitations  he  gener' 
ally  admitted. 

The  young  should  not  be  brought  before 


80     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT. 


an  audience  in  sucli  a  manner  as  to  en- 
danger tlieir  modesty,  or  to  excite  tlieir 
vanity  and  self-love.  At  tlie  Sabbath 
School  Concert,  no  one  pupil  should  have 
a  particularly  distinguished  part.  The  ex- 
ercises should  be  of  so  general  a  character 
that  all  may  participate  in  them,  and  be 
made  to  feel  that  the  service  is  peculiarly 
their  own.  Moreover,  as  an  almost  endless 
variety  of  exercises  is  attainable  in  the  study 
and  repitition  of  different  portions  of  Scrip- 
ture, there  seems  to  be  no  reasonable  ex- 
cuse for  seeking  at  such  a  service  in- 
struction or  entertainment  for  the  children 
elsewhere  than  in  God's  word.  It  is  true, 
that  very  young  children  can  often  more 
easily,  and  with  evident  propriety,  commit 
Scripture  truth  in  the  form  of  verse,  and 
that,  by  those  of  any  age,  most  ^ood  may 
frequently   be  attained  in  searching  the 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT.  81 


Bible  for  its  lessons  rather  than  its  texts  ; 
but  the  practice  of  going  outside  of  that 
bock  for  teaching  of  morality  or  sources  of 
profit  of  a  religious  meeting,  is  unquestion- 
ably reprehensible.  What  is  highly  pro- 
per for  a  Band  of  Hope  "  meeting,  or  a 
week  day  gathering  of  children,  may  be 
quite  out  of  place  in  the  Lord's  house,  and 
on  the  holy  Sabbath,  the  hours  of  which 
are  so  few  and  sacred,  as  to  demand  their 
very  best  and  most  profitable  employment. 

No  question  should  he  ashed^  topic  sug^ 
g'Gsted^  or  remark  made,  calculated  merely 
to  excite  mirth,  or  to  amuse  rather  than  to 
profit. 

Those  who  address  children  in  public, 
not  unfrequently  be-little  themselves,  their 
hearers,  and  their  cause,  by  trifling,  frivol- 
ous, puerile  remarks.  Children  deserve, 
and  desire  bright,  fresh,  valuable  ideas,  and 


82   THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CON"0ERT. 


in  the  sanctuary,  an  attempt  should  never 
be  made  to  entertain  tliem  without  a  dis- 
tinct and  intelligent  purpose  of  promoting 
their  spiritual  good.  The  legitimate  amuse- 
ments and  necessary  relaxation  of  the  play- 
ground are  not  called  for  in  the  school  dur- 
ing the  hours  of  study.  If  a  smile  is  ever 
excited  in  a  religious  meeting,  it  should  be 
in  the  attempt  to  fix  a  well  defined  and  im- 
portant truth  in  the  minds  of  those  ad- 
dressed, not  for  the  purpose  of  pleasing,  or 
even  of  merely  relieving  the  audience. 

Frizes  should  not  be  offered  to  those  who 
will  repeat^  at  the  children's  meeting^  the 
greatest  number  of  verses  from  the  Bible. 

The  value  of  text  treasure  in  early  youth 
has  been  often  shown,  and  should  not  be 
under-estimated.  Children  should  be 
uro^ed  to  freely  commit  portions  of  Divine 
truth,  and  there  is  little  danger  on  their 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  COXCEKT.  83 


part  of  a  general  OTer-studying  of  the  Bible. 
But  there  are  those  to  whom  God  has 
given  a  peculiarly  tenacious  memory,  while 
some  have  specially  cultivated  that  faculty 
to  the  neglect  of  other  gifts.  Such  persons 
can  learn  in  a  single  hour  more  than  others 
can  in  a  day  or  a  week.  It,  therefore, 
usually  happens  that  the  prize  offered  for 
the  largest  number  of  texts  is  taken  by  one 
who  has  made  comparatively  little  exertion 
to  obtain  it,  rather  than  by  those  who  have 
studied  hardest,  and  exerted  themselves 
with  most  commendable  perseverance  in  its 
pursuit.  iNIany  a  child  has  been  hurried 
into  an  early  grave  from  the  Scripture 
prize-ring,  and  many  a  heart  has  been 
wrung,  and  bright  eye  dhnmed,  by  the 
failure  to  secure  that  for  which  every  nerve 
had  been  strained  to  its  utmost  tension. 
Yet,  in   more   than   one  place,  has  the 


34     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT. 


monthly  children's  meeting  been  given  up 
to  these  indefensible  memory  matches  of 
over-stimulated  little  ones.  While  it  may 
be  quite  fair  to  offer  a  testimonial  to  all 
who  will  commit  a  certain  portion  of  Scrip- 
ture, within  a  reasonable  period,  the  race- 
course practices  appear  in  theory  and  ex- 
perience almost  exclusively  pernicious. 

The  childrerCs  meeting  should  not  he  a 
dull^  monotonous^  uninteresting  service. 

"The  best  way  to  preach,"  said  a  good 
old  minister  to  his  younger  brother,  "  is  to 
preach  every  wayT  To  interest  children 
there  must  be  variety  and  spirit  in  the 
exercises.  And  the  endeavor  to  benefit 
children  in  a  religious  meeting  without  in- 
teresting them,  is  equally  futile  with  the 
attempt  to  promote  their  spiritual  welfare 
by  simply  amusing  them.  At  a  State  Sun- 
day School  convexjtion  some  tipae  since,  a 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT.  35 


good  brother  said  boastingly,  that  the  Sun- 
day School  Concert  had  been  kept  up 
monthly  in  connection  with  his  school  for 
nearly  thirty  years,  and  in  all  the  time 
since  it  was  commenced,  the  exercises  had 
never  been  changed  nor  varied.  In  many 
another  place  the  children's  meeting  is  con- 
ducted on  the  same, erroneous  ideas  which 
evidently  influenced  that  simple  minded 
man  and  his  fellow-workers. 

The  Sunday  School  Concert,  as  the  chil- 
dren's meeting,  should  not  be  a  theatrical 
performance.  It  should  not  give  objection- 
able prominence  to  particular  children.  It 
should  not  rely  upon  other  sources  of  in- 
struction than  the  Bible.  It  should  not  be 
a  place  for  mere  amusement.  It  should  not 
lay  too  heavy  and  crushing  burdens  on  the 
memory  of  children.  It  should  not  be  a 
stuoid,  unattractive  service,  without  varie- 


36    THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT. 


ty  and  spirit.  But  it  should  be  a  pleasing 
meeting,  for  the  purpose  of  spiritually  ben- 
efitting the  young,  its  exercises  being  all 
conducted  with  an  eye  single  to  the  glory 
of  God,  and  the  good  of  souls.  This  it  can 
be.    This  in  many  places  it  is. 

WHEN    TO    HOLD  IT. 

In  cities  or  large  villages  and  other  com- 
pact communities,  the  Sabbath  School  Con- 
cert is  usually  held  as  an  early  evening 
meeting,  say  at  5  or  6  o'clock.  In  the 
country,  where  it  is  difficult  to  re-assemble 
the  people  at  the  centre  after  they  have 
scattered  to  their  homes,  it  sometimes  takes 
the  place,  once  a  month,  of  the  regular 
session  of  the  school  at  noon,  or  immediately 
follows  the  afternoon  service,  or,  what  is 
still  better,  it  occupies  the  place  of  an  or- 
dinary afternoon  preaching  service.    At  a 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT.  37 

formal  meeting  of  the  county  secretaries  of 
tlie  Connecticut  Sabbath  School  Teachers' 
Association,  at  New  Haven,  in  December, 
1859,  it  was  resolved  concerning  the  Sab- 
bath School  Concert  ,  that  "  It  is  indispen- 
sable to  the  highest  prosperity  of  any 
school,"  and  "  when  it  cannot  be  held  to 
advantage  in  the  evening  it  should  be 
allowed  to  take  the  place  of  the  afternoon 
service."  This  recommendation  was  sub- 
sequently endorsed  by  full  conventions  in 
most  of  the  counties  of  that  State.  It  would 
certainly  seem  as  if  the  children  and  youth 
of  any  community  were  fairly  entitled  to  at 
least  one  half  Sabbath  in  the  month,  espec- 
ially where  they  can  at  no  other  time  enjoy 
to  advantage  a  service  which  is  "  indispen- 
sable to  the  highest  prosperity  of  the 
school." 


38     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT. 


WHO    SHOULD   BE   IN  IT. 

While  the  Superintendent  has,  usually, 
the  lead  in  the  Sabbath  School  Concert,  the 
presence  of  the  pastor  is  always  to  be 
desired,  and  the  more  active  part  he  con- 
sents to  take  in  its  exercises  the  better. 
His  influence  in  its  favor — especially  where 
it  is  a  novelty,  and  likely  to  be  deemed,  by 
any,  a  somewhat  dangerous  innovation — 
is  of  first  importance,  and  should  be  secur- 
ed beyond  all  question. 

Not  only  members  of  the  school,  but  the 
entire  congregation  should  be  present  at 
this  service,  and  have  a  share  in  the  sing- 
ing, the  Scripture  recitations,  and  the  re- 
sponses to  general  inquiries  from  the  desk. 

Additional  interest  is  often  given  to  the 
Concert  by  a  union  of  several  neighboring 
schools  in  its  exercises.    This  is  especially 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  COXCEUT.  89 


the  case  where  it  is  difiicult  for  any  one 
congregation  to  have  a  large  meeting  in  the 
evening,  or  where  there  is  a  paucity  of 
competent  speakers  to  children.  Schools 
of  different  denominations  frequently  come 
together  thus,  and  are  mutually  stimulated 
and  encoura^^ed  to  increased  effort  in  their 
particular  fields.  Sometimes,  they  will 
unite  once  a  quarter  while  holding  the 
Concert  by  themselves  in  the  intermediate 
months.  In  this  way  they  obtain  the  ad- 
vantage of  an  occasional  spur,  without  los- 
ing the  desirable  opportunity  of  developing 
w^hatever  of  home  talent  they  may  possess. 

APPROVED  MODES  OF  CONDUCTING  IT. 

In  the  exercises  of  the  Concert,  sino-ino; 
may  safely  have  considerable  prominence. 
"  Next  to  theology,"  says  Luther,  "  it  is  to 
music  that  I  give  the  highest  place  and  the 


40     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCEET. 


greatest  honor."  The  children  will  '^o  at 
least  as  far  in  this  matter  as  the  great  Ive- 
former,  even  if  they  do  not  reverse  his 
order  of  precedence.  And  it  is  well  worth 
while  to  take  advantage  of  their  taste  to 
increase  their  love  for  and  interest  in  relig- 
ious meetings.  Juvenile  sacred  music  is 
already  a  power  in  the  land  not  to  be  de- 
spised. It  has,  in  the  past  few  years,  well 
nigh  displaced  in  our  streets  the  negro 
melodies  and  ribald  songs  which  were  be- 
fore so  common.  It  has  drawn  hosts  of 
little  ones  towards  the  Sabbath  School  and 
sanctuary,  and  also,  it  is  hoped,  with  God's 
blessing,  towards  the  fold  of  Jesus.  In  the 
course  of  the  Concert,  several  hymns  may 
be  sung,  the  words  and  tunes  of  which 
should  be  such  as  the  children  will  be  like- 
ly to  join  in  and  to  enjoy,  and  at  the  same 
time  such  as  are  calculated  to  inspire  prop- 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT.  41 


er  emotions  and  make  correct  and  profita- 
ble impressions.  In  some  places,  the  mem- 
bers of  the  school  come  together  a  half 
hour  or  an  hour  before  the  commencement 
of  the  Concert  to  practice  singing  for  it,  or 
to  enjoy  more  singing  than  they  could  have 
durino;  the  sino;le  hour  devoted  to  its  exer- 
cises. 

The  prayers  offered  should  be  so  brief 
that  there  may  be  several  of  them,  so  sim- 
ple that  the  children  may  understand  each 
petition,  and  have  such  exclusive  reference 
to  the  occasion  and  to  the  peculiar  wants  of 
/those  present,  that  no  one  need  wander 
from  the  Sabbath  School  Concert  to  keep 
company  with  him  who  prays. 

As  to  other  exercises,  no  positive  rule 
can  be  prescribed.  Enough  has  been  al- 
ready said  to  indicate  the  general  charac- 
^  such  as  are  approved.    A  few  illus- 


42     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT. 


trative  examples  may  be  serviceable  to 
those  who  have  had  least  experience  in  this 
meetino'. 

A  common  practice  is  that  of  calling,  at 
the  concert,  for  the  recitation  of  texts  of 
Scripture  containing  a  particular  word,  pre- 
viously designated  by  the  superintendent, 
as  faith,  love,  life,  wisdom,  or  the  like. 
Those  to  whom  this  exercise  is  new,  will, 
perhaps,  be  surprised  to  learn  how  much  of 
good  is  brought  out  by  it,  even  in  the  use 
of  the  commonest  words.  In  one  school, 
where  the  word  "  death  "  was  given  out, 
such  passages  as  the  following  were  recit- 
ed :  "  The  wages  of  sin  is  death."  The 
wicked  is  driven  away  in  his  wickedness, 
but  the  righteous  hath  hope  in  his  death." 
"  For  since  by  man  came  death,  by  man 
came  also  the  resurrection  of  the  dead." 

We  see  Jesus  who  was  made  a  little  low- 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  COXCEKT.  43 


er  tl.an  the  aao^eid  for  the  suilerln  >•  of  death, 
crowned  with  glory  and  honor  ;  that  he  by 
the  grace  of  God  should  taste  death  for 
every  man."  "  He  will  swallow  up  death 
in  victory."  Here  is  presented  the  whole 
Gospel  scheme.  Man's  guilt,  helplessness 
and  danger,  the  necessity,  beneficence  and 
sufficiency  of  ^he  atonement,  are  all  por- 
trayed. A  few  earnest  and  appropriate 
words  uttered  by  the  pastor,  superinten- 
dent or  one  of  the  teachers,  in  enforcement 
of  such  portions  of  Divine  truth,  at  the  time 
they  are  recited,  may  make  an  ever-abiding 
impression  on  the  minds  of  those  present,  or 
at  least  fix  a  serious  thought  in  inseparable 
connection  with  such  texts,  to  be  revived 
ever  afterwards,  when  they  may  meet  the 
eye  or  ear.  This  is  preaching  the  word 
in  season,"  and  "  in  all  wisdom." 
Sometimes  the  words  given  out  at  con- 


44     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT. 


secutive  concerts  go  to  make  up  a  sentence 
which  is  finally  brought  forward  for  specia^ 
comment.  Thus  one  month  the  word  will 
be  "draw;"  the  next  "nigh;"  the  third 
"  to,"  and  so  on  until  the  passage,  "  Draw 
nigh  to  God  and  he  will  draw  nigh  to 
you,"  is  completed. 

Texts  commencing  with  a  designated  let- 
ter of  the  alphabet  are  often  called  for.  So 
are  miscellaneous  passages  of  Scripture,  all 
being  privileged  to  make  their  own  selec- 
tion. 

Another  plan  is  to  request  proof  texts 
upon  certain  fundamental  Bible  doctrines. 
One  month,  the  scholars  will  be  asked  to 
find  each  a  passage  which  goes  to  show  that 
man  is  a  sinner — that  "  the  carnal  mind  is 
enmity  against  God  ;" — the  next,  that  the 
finally  impenitent  are  forever  condemned — 
that  "  he  that  believcth  not  the  Son  shall 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT.  45 


not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God  abiJelh 
on  hmi  the  thir  J,  that  a  way  of  salvation 
is  provi:!e:l  for  belieyer.i  " — -that  there  is 
11)  couJeumation  to  them  wlilch  are  in 
Christ  Jesus."  This  style  of  exercises  is 
much  liked  wherever  it  is  adopted.  It  can 
be  varied  in  many  ways  to  meet  the  neces- 
sities of  different  communities.  The  duty 
of  prayer,  of  Bible  study,  of  benevolence,  of 
kindness  toward  all,  of  respect  to  the  aged ; 
the  sinfulness  of  neglecting  religious  privi- 
leges, of  formalism,  of  extravagance,  of  im- 
pure speech,  of  rebellion  against  rightful 
authority,  and  any  other  point  of  impor- 
tance in  human  conduct,  may,  in  this  way, 
be  pressed  upon  the  attention  of  the  young 
and  the  old  in  the  specific  language  of 
Scripture,  and  in  a  manner  calculated  to 
produce  a  deep  and  lasting  impression  for 
good.    Some  pastors  follow  up  the  topic 


46     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT. 


thus  presented  at  tlie  concert,  with  a  spe- 
cial sermon  on  it  the  Sabbath  after.  Thej 
can,  then,  of  course,  depend  upon  more  in- 
terested hearers  than  they  could  hope  for  if 
the  subject  had  not  been  brought  so  lately, 
before  many  in  the  congregation. 

Again,  the  Lord's  prayer  is  taken  up, 
petition  by  petition,  and  collateral  passages 
of  Scripture  are  called  for.  And  thus  of 
one  or  another  of  the  commandments. 

The  question  is  sometimes  asked,  "What 
single  verse  would  you  preserve  if  all  the 
rest  of  the  Bible  must  be  destroyed?"  The 
most  delightful  passages  have  been  quoted 
in  response  to  this  inquiry,  and  the  state  of 
the  pupil's  mind  is  often  shown  by  the  verse 
selected.  Serious  impressions  resulting  in 
hopeful  conversion  have  also  been  traced 
directly  to  pastoral  comments  on  such  an 
exercise  as  this. 


THE  SABBATIT  SCHOOL  CONCERT.  47 


One  superintciiacnt  writes  out  a  separate 
question  on  some  point  of  Christian  faith  or 
Bible  history  for  each  class  in  his  school. 
The  classes  then  search  the  Scriptures,  and 
prepare  answers,  also  in  writing,  to  the  in- 
quiries propounded.  These  replies,  or  se- 
lections from  them,  are,  at  the  next  concert, 
read  by  the  superintendent,  with  appropri- 
ate running  comments.  Then  the  order  is 
reversed.  The  classes  propound  each  an 
inquiry  to  the  superintendent,  and  at  the 
next  concert  he  makes  public  reply  to 
them. 

Another  superintendent  asks  a  single 
question  of  the  whole  school,  to  be  replied 
to  in  writing  the  following  month.  At  one 
time  he  made  the  inquiry  put  by  Jesus  to 
the  Pharisees,  ''What  think  ye  of  Christ?^' 
The  answers  to  this  were  various,  interest- 
ing and  instructive.    One  replied  iu  Scrip- 


43     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT. 


ture  phraseology,  ''He  is  'Alpha  and  Ome- 
ga, the  begmning  and  the  ending,  saith  the 
Lord,  which  is  and  which  was,  and  which 
is  to  come,  the  Ahiiighty.'  "  He  is  "  the 
mediator  between  God  and  man,"  &c.,  &c. 

A  little  girl  but  nine  years  old,  replied, 
in  simple  language,  "  I  think  he  is  very 
good  to  condescend  to  come  into  this  wick- 
ed world  to  die  for  such  a  wicked  girl  as  1." 

This  practice  of  writing  is  well  adapted 
to  communities  where  neither  teachers  nor 
scholars  have  been  accustomed  to  reply  to 
inquiries  from  the  desk,  and  where  there  is 
a  general  reluctance  to  "  speak  in  meet- 
ing." It  prepares  the  way  for  oral  recita- 
tions. 

A  pastor  who  conducts  his  own  concert 
with  much  success,  has  been  in  the  habit  of 
arranging  responsive  Scripture  recitations 
for  the  several  classes.    One  propounds  a 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCEKT.  49 


question,  and  another  gives  the  answer,  all 
in  Bible  language.  Thus  :  Ques.  "  Canst 
thou  by  searching  find  out  God  ?  Canst 
thou  find  out  the  Almighty  unto  perfec- 
tion ?"  Ans.  "  O  the  depth  of  the  riches, 
both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God! 
how  unsearchable  are  his  judgments,  and 
his  ways  past  finding  out."  Q.  But  will 
God  in  very  deed  dwell  with  men  on  the 
earth?"  A.  "  And  I  heard  a  great  voice 
out  of  heaven  saying.  Behold  the  tab- 
ernacle of  God  is  with  men,  and  he  will 
dwell  with  them,  and  they  shall  be  his  peo- 
ple, and  God  himself  shall  be  w^ith  them 
and  be  their  God."  Q.  "  What  shall  the 
end  be  of  them  that  obey  not  the  Gospel  of 
God?  "  A.  "  But  unto  them  that  are  con- 
tentious and  do  not  obey  the  truth  but  obey 
unrighteousness,  indignation  and  w^rath, 
tribulation  and  anguish,  upon  every  soul  of 


50     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCEBT. 


mail  that  doeth  evil,  of  the  J ew  first  and 
also  of  the  Gentile,"  Q.  "  What  must  I 
do  to  be  saved  ? "  A.  "  Believe  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  sav- 
ed." Other  passages  of  this  character  are 
found  as  follows :  Q.  Job  ix.  2,  1.  c.  A, 
Eomans  v.  1.  Q.  Job  xxiii.  3.  A.  Psalms 
cxlv.  18,  and  Jeremiah  xxix.  13.  Q.  Ps. 
XV.  1.  A.  Psalms  xxiv.  4.  Q.  Psalms 
xiii.  1.  A.  Isaiah  liv.  7,  8,  Q.  Job  xiv, 
14,  f.  c.  A.  John  V.  28,  29.  Q.  Romans 
viii,  31,  1.  c.  A.  Isaiah  liv.  17.  Q.  Mark 
xii.  15,  f.  c.  A.  2  Corinthians  ix.  7;  and  so, 
abundantly,  throughout  the  Bible.  Of 
course,  this  exercise  presupposes  an  under- 
standing between  those  who  put  the  ques- 
tions and  those  who  give  the  answers.  The 
pastor  or  superintendent  can  arrange  both 
parts  of  the  recitation,  or  the  teachers  can 
select  the  Bible  inquiries,  and  hand  them, 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT.  51 


before  the  concert,  to  tlieir  scholars,  that 
the  latter  may  obtain  fitting  Bible  respons- 
es. One  month,  this  order  may  be  observ- 
ed. The  next,  it  can  be  reversed  by  the 
scholars  propounding  the  inquiries  and  the 
teachers  findins;  the  replies.  A  similar  ar- 
rangement  may  be  made  between  the  la- 
dies' and  the  gentlemen's  Bible  classes,  be- 
tween the  older  and  younger  scholars,  or 
between  those  of  the  cono!;reo:ation  who  are 
in,  and  those  who  are  out  of  the  Sabbath 
School. 

Another  pastor,  who  superintends  his 
own  school,  occupies  one  concert  with  the 
history  of  Moses,  or  some  other  Scripture 
character,  giving  the  chief  incidents  of  his 
life  in  an  interesting  and  instructive  man- 
ner. At  the  next  concert,  he  calls  for  some 
scholar  to  commence,  in  his  own  language, 
the  story  related  the  previous  month.  He 


£2     THE  SABBxilll  bCIiOGL  COJS^CERT. 


allows  tills  scholar  to  proceed  but  briefly, 
when  he  interrupts  liim,  and  requests  an- 
other to  take  up  the  story  where  it  was 
left  by  the  first,  and  so  on,  until  some  one 
in  each  class  has  taken  a  part,  and  the  sto- 
ry is  complete. 

In  one  well  conducted  concert,  a  valua- 
ble feature  is  the  reading  by  the  superin- 
dent,  of  a  written  brief  report  for  the 
month,  giving  the  weekly  attendance  at  the 
school,  the  number  of  the  scholars  gained  or 
lost,  additions  to  the  library,  contributions 
to  benevolent  objects,  with  mention  of  vis- 
its or  addresses  made  to  the  school,  conver- 
sions or  deaths,  if  any  have  occurred  ;  spe- 
cial Sabbath  School  intelligence  from  out- 
side and  other  valuable  matter.  In  the 
same  concert,  the  Bible  exercises  are  well 
varied.  At  one  time  the  superintendent 
eelectB  as  many  titles  of  Christ  as  there  are 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT.  53 


classes  in  the  school,  and  gives  one  to  each 
class.  At  the  next  concert,  the  pupils  re- 
cite texts  containing  the  title  given  to  their 
class.  These  quotations  form,  of  course,  an 
excellent  basis  for  a  few  pointed  remarks. 
Again,  the  Bible  instances  of  special  answer 
to  prujcr,  are  apportioned  to  the  classes, 
and  tlie  scholars  respond  to  the  call  for  the 
record  as  to  Moses,  Elijah,  Hannah,  Dan- 
iel, c^cc.  The  members  of  the  infant  de- 
partment usually  sing  once  by  themselves, 
in  this  concert,  or  have  a  brief  catechetical 
exercise  to  encourage  them  and  show  that 
the  meeting  is  theirs^  as  well  as  for  those 
older  iiiid  generally  more  prominent  than 
they. 

The  full  order  of  exercises  for  a  concert 
which  has  been  continued  for  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  century  wllYi  very  few  inter- 
ruptions, and  v/ith  uniform  success,  is  usu- 


64     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  COXCERT. 


ally  as  follows :  1.  Singing.  2.  Prayer. 
3.  Singing.  4.  Address.  6.  Singing.  6. 
Address.  7.  Prayer.  8.  Singing.  9. 
Answers  to  Bible  questions,  as  "  What  was 
the  first  carrier  pigeon's  message  ?  "  "  Did 
prayer  ever  prevent  rain  ?  "  &c.  10.  Sing- 
ing. 11.  Prayer  and  Benediction.  There 
are,  ordinarily,  four  or  five  seasons  of  sing- 
ing at  this  concert,  two  or  three  of  prayer, 
several  brief  talks  to  the  children,  and  a 
share  of  Scripture  replies  or  recitations,  yet 
the  whole  service  does  not  exceed  an  hour, 
or  an  hour  and  a  quarter,  in  length. 

At  another  concert,  the  order  on  one 
occasion  was  thus :  The  pastor  opened 
with  prayer.  The  school  sung.  Teachers 
and  scholars  were  called  on,  by  classes,  for 
miscellaneous  texts,  each  person  being  ex- 
pected to  recite  one.  Recitations  of  Scrip- 
ture followed,  on  the  life  of  Daniel, '  that 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT.  55 


subject  having  been  before  announced. 
One  scholar  gave,  in  a  few  verses,  an  inci- 
dent in  bis  life.  Another,  brought  the 
Scripture  testimony  as  to  his  character,  and 
thus  from  class  to  chiss^  Then  came  sing- 
ing again.  A  sketch  of  Eebecca  was  given 
by  a  little  girl,  in  her  own  language.  A 
class  of  j^oung  ladies  related  in  Scripture 
phrase  the  story  of  Hezekiah's  sickness, 
recovery,  subsequent  life  and  death.  One 
recited  four  or  five  verses ;  the  second  fol- 
lowed with  as  many  more,  and  thus 
through  the  record.  The  school  sung 
again.  The  pastor  closed  the  service  with 
brief  remarks  and  the  benediction.  The  su- 
perintendent made  comments  on  the  exer- 
cises as  they  proceeded.  The  concert  was 
rigidly  limited  to  an  hour,  being  com- 
menced and  closed  with  promptness* 


66     THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT. 


ITS  GRAND  DESIGN. 

Without  multiplying  examples  of  well- 
conducted  concerts,  it  may  be  remarked, 
in  conclusion,  that  whatever  exercises  are 
adopted,  the  great  and  ultimate  object  of 
the  children's  meeting,  to  be  borne  contin- 
ually in  mind,  is  the  spiritual  good  of  those 
who  attend  it.  The  endeavor  in  and 
through  it  should  be,  not  merely  to  attract 
to  the  place  of  worship,  to  instruct  in  the 
Bible  truth,  or  to  excite  devotional  feelings, 
but,  in  every  proper  way,  and  by  all  legit- 
imate means,  to  promote  the  true  religious 
welfare  of  its  participants. 

The  tenor  of  the  service  should  be  wisely 
adapted  to  the  community  where  it  is  held, 
and  to  the  peculiar  circumstances,  the 
habits  and  tastes  of  those  who  are  reached 
by  it.  Much  more  freedom,  for  instance, 
would  be  allowable  —  if  still  within  the 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  CONCERT.  57 


boundary  already  indicated — in  a  city  mis- 
sion school  than  in  the  school  of  a  quiet 
country  church.  So,  if  the  children  are 
accustomed  to  meet  on  a  week-day  for  the 
practice  of  Sabbath  School  hymns,  or  if 
they  sing  regularly  in  the  public  schools, 
there  will  be  need  of  less  singing  at  the 
Concert  than  if  the  case  were  different. 

The  moLto,  Allure  —  Instruct  —  Im- 
press, which  Old  Humphrey,  the  highly 
successful  English  writer  for  children,  is 
said  to  have  kept  on  a  large  card,  conspic- 
uously before  him,  at  his  study-table,  might 
well  be  adopted  by  those  having  charge  of 
the  Sabbath  School  Concert.  This  service 
can  and  should  be  attractive^  instructive^ 
impressive.  It  is  not  enough  that  it  be 
either,  alone. 


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THE  HARVEST  WURK  OF  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT, 
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